He who stands firm to the end will be saved

Matthew 24:1-14
Jesus mentioned the signs of the end of the age.
Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming,' I am the Christ', and will deceive many.
Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
This is Matthew's fifth and last teaching section. The subject is the future: the end time and Jesus' own return. A key theme here, as in chapter 23, is judgment.
Further questions follow. When will the Temple be destroyed? What indications will there be that the age is coming to an end?
The disciples must not be misled - there will be many wars and natural disaster, persecutions and false Messiahs. These are not signs of the end. There will be time for world-wide preaching of the gospel.
Why?
The disciple's admiration for the great Temple buildings lead to Jesus' astonishing prediction of its utter destruction.
There are many incredible murder things happened in Taiwan, some men killed unknown men and kids. The love of most will grow cold. People keep away from men for security, so become more cold among the people.
Reading the bible and understand the truth, then won't be deceived by false prophets.
Sign of the end age are many wars, natural disasters- earthquakes etc.
How?
Stands firm, on the rock of Jesus Christ, trust in Him and walk on his way to the end will be saved.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord

Matthew 23:37-39
 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate.  
For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[Psalm 118:26]”
Why?
Jesus may be predicting the destruction of the city, Jerusalem.
Jesus will return in glory and judgment.
When people say Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, they acknowledged Jesus is the Lord and welcome Jesus.
Many people won't listen to the gospel, some are because of bad witness of Christian, some are caused by their stubborn heart.
How?
Jesus is the fountain of blessing, turn to Jesus will be blessed all his life.

The more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness

Matthew 23:13-36
Seven woes to teachers of the law and Pharisees. Jesus makes seven specific charges, each introduced with the same words: woes to you...

1. shut the kingdom of heaven in men's face

2. travel to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a a son of hell
3. blind guides. swear to the gift , he is bound by his gift. Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift scared? And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
4. Give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness.
5. clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
6. like white washed tombs, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside our are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
7. testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
 Upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
Why?
The men who cared so deeply and had such patience with ordinary people - even the wicked, the weak-willed and the stupid - could not stomach the religious sham, the self-righteous pride, the hair-splitting pedantry he saw in these Pharisees and scribes. Do as they say, he tells the crowd and his followers, but not as they do.
New converts are often more fervent(熱切)  than those brought up in the faith.
Tombs were specially white-washed for Passover to prevent people inadvertently touching them and becoming ceremonially defiled.
How?
Keep clean inside then it is clean outside. for everything is come from the heart. Justice, mercy and faithfulness are most important.

Whoever humbles himself will be exalted

Matthew 23:1-12
You have only one Master and you are all brothers. Do not to be called 'Rabbi'
You have one Father, and he is in heaven. Do not call anyone on earth 'father'
You have one Teacher, the Christ. Do not be called 'teacher'
The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
You must obey them, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees,  and do everything the tell you, but do not do what they do.
Moses' seat/chair: Meaning they are the authorized interpreters of the law God gave through Moses.
Teacher word is used today of a 'professor'
Why?
Obey the commandments of the Lord but do not follow what the Pharisees do, for they do not response what they preaching. There are different between doing and knowing.
Humble myself is the basic altitude of Christian. For I am nothing without Jesus.
Even I be called teacher in my office, do not forget to serve my staff. I am not really teacher but a coworker.
Jesus launches into a scathing attack on Israels legalistic, but much-respected religious leaders.
How?
Be humble and serve others for Jesus is the Lord, my master is the Lord.

The greatest two commandments

Matthew. 22:23~46
At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in.
About the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.
which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”   Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Whose son is Messaiah?
Why?
Those people asked Jesus and defeat Jesus. But they failed, while it also help us to know the truth from Jesus.
We understood the resurrection of dead and the greatest commandment. And Jesus is the God.
Love my neighbor is the action among my life and my living places, do not have go too far away. Let us no excuse say I can't
How?
Love God with all my heart, strength and mind, love my neighbor as myself.

Matthew22:15~22
Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed (搖動)by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.
So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap.
Render, give back,給予，交付
Why?
Jesus is integrity and good teacher with the truth from God, he was recognized by the hypocrites, but they refuse to believe in Jesus. They try to trap Jesus, the evil planning. Jesus knew their intension.
Jesus replied smart and reasonable.
Earned from the world give it back to the world, it is the taxes. but received from God, life, mercy and love should feedback to the Lord.
How?
Always humble, feel deep indebted and be grateful to the Lord in everything.

For the many are invited, but few are chosen

Matthew 22:1-14
The parable of the wedding banquet: The guest of kingdom of heaven are invited, but they refuse to come. They are the Israelites, the Jews. So the people outside on the street be invited into the banquet of the king.
For the many are invited, but few are chosen: Even many people were chosen to the banquet of the king but they do not ready for their altitude, they do not respect the king, they do their own way.
V 11-13: are a warning to the newcomers. Those who come must come on God's terms.
Why?
Many Christians are come to church but they are walking on their way, one day, the final judgement, they will be trough out to the darkness.
No all the people come to church are really good Christians.
Jesus' parable of the guests invited to the wedding feast illustrate what he had just said.
The day will come when God no longer invites those who repeatedly refuse him. The invitation will go to others.
Wedding garment: Not special wedding clothes but clean clothes for a special occasion.
How?
Be careful for the man are invited, but few are chosen. When I got the mercy of Jesus, do the right thing to honor God's Holy Name.